Variations in Canada’s Climate
Modified by Mike McCloskey
Mother Teresa H.S
Canada has many types of climates but they have been simplified into 3 major ones:
Dry Climates (Canada does have deserts)
Warm/ Moist Climates Cool/ Moist Polar Climates (Guess where?? )
Canada’s Climate Regions
8.2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the basic features of Canada’s landscape and climate
identify and locate major climatic regions of Canada
explain the characteristics of Canada’s climatic regions and account for the variation among them
Dry Climatesamount of evaporation &
transpiration may exceed amounts of precipitation
some are warm, and some are cool (annual temp. less than 18ºC)
characterized by little rain and a huge daily temperature range. Two subgroups, S - semiarid or steppe, and W - arid or desert
Osoyoos, British Columbia
Enjoying Canada's driest climate, Osoyoos is the only desert in Canada
, with the lowest rainfall, the highest temperatures, and the warmest lakes.
Osoyoos is located in the middle of the Southern Okanagan wine country, whose
fine wines match any wines from anywhere, from France to California.
Rainfall….
This area receives an average rainfall of less than 20 cm per year. Growth is sparse, and the desert plants and animals of this area are found nowhere else in Canada. Actually, the Pocket Desert is part of the Great Basin Desert, part of the network of deserts that extend southward to the Sonoran Desert in Mexico
Vegetation….
In fact, the plants and animals here are the same as those found in the higher elevations of the Mexican portion of this desert. Typical plants found are sagebrush, greasewood, rabbit and antelope bush, and bunch grass.
Warm, Moist Climates(Maritime/Marine West Coast)
warm, humid summers and mild winters
in Humid Middle Latitude Climates land/water differences play a large part
these climates have warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters.
Cool, Moist Climates(Temperate continental)
over 70% of Canadawarmest version (humid with
warm summers)Subarctic zone (short, cool
summer & only 1-3 months over 10ºC)
found in the interior regions of large land masses
total precipitation is not very high and seasonal temperatures vary widely.
Polar Climates
very cold and dryTundra zone and Ice
Cap areapermanent ice and
tundra are always present
only about four months of the year have above freezing temperatures
Polar Climates continued(High Latitude Climates)
• Subarctic• Tundra• Ice Cap
Elements of Climate
L.O.W.E.R.N• Latitude (sunshine)• Ocean Currents• Winds &Air Masses• Elevation:• Relief• Nearness to Water
Bibliography
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/climate.htm Canadian Identity (p.31-37) http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/
uwsp_lectures/climates_toc.html http://www.worldclimate.com/